4 Advantages of Perennial Crop Production

Nowadays, there’s a tremendous amount of awareness regarding sustainable agriculture practices. With so much controversy over GMO’s and environmental impacts of food production, there is a strong need for sustainable options to maintain our healthy food supply. Though it’s still up for debate, there’s a strong argument for the emphasis on perennial crop production as a solution to these problems. Perennial crop production provides our North American population with the majority of our diet.

Here are four ways perennial crop production offers advantages to agriculture:

Improve Soil Quality

The deep roots of perennial crops have better access to groundwater, requiring less irrigation and being more resistant to drought. They also combat topsoil erosion, runoff, and nutrient loss which can transform land into fertile ground.

Minimize Labor & Energy

Perennials require less labor, fuel, fertilizers, and water and are therefore less resource-intensive.

Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

Perennials combat greenhouse gas by dissolving carbon into the soil. When carbon is stored in soil instead of air, the quality of the soil improves while climate change impacts are mitigated.

Enhance Biodiversity

Perennials hold the potential to return us to a more natural system where rigorous tilling and replanting is substituted with agriculture that essentially resembles prairie land.

About The Author

PowerHouse GrowersPowerHouse Growers teaches you how to sustainably integrate urban agriculture into your cities, businesses, and homes. We provide clear solutions and benefits for better health, increased productivity, and lower environmental impact. By connecting you with experts, we bring awareness to solutions that may not be top of mind.